downstairs；　the　females　assailed　her　like　lunatics；　the　cripple
  poked　at　her　with　a　stick；　the　tall　hag　clawed　at　her　hair；　whilst
  the　father　Gypsy　walked　close　beside　the　man；　his　hand　on　his
  clasp…knife；　looking　like　nothing　in　this　world：　　the　man；　however；
  on　reaching　the　door；　turned　to　him　and　said：　　'Gypsy　demon；　my
  borrico　by　three　o'clock　…　or　you　know　the　rest；　the　justicia。'
  The　Gypsies　remained　filled　with　rage　and　disappointment；　the　hag
  vented　her　spite　on　her　brother。　　''Tis　your　fault；'　said　she；
  'fool！　you　have　no　tongue；　you　a　Chabo；　you　can't　speak'；　whereas；
  within　a　few　hours；　he　had　perhaps　talked　more　than　an　auctioneer
  during　a　three　days'　sale：　　but　he　reserved　his　words　for　fitting
  occasions；　and　now　sat　as　usual；　sullen　and　silent；　smoking　his
  pipe。
  The　man　and　woman　made　their　appearance　at　three　o'clock；　but　they
  came　…　intoxicated；　the　Gypsy's　eyes　glistened　…　blandishment　was
  again　had　recourse　to。　　'Come　and　sit　down　with　the　cavalier　here；'
  whined　the　family；　'he　is　a　friend　of　ours；　and　will　soon　arrange
  matters　to　your　satisfaction。'　　I　arose；　and　went　into　the　street；
  the　hag　followed　me。　　'Will　you　not　assist　us；　brother；　or　are　you
  no　Chabo？'　she　muttered。
  'I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　your　matters；'　said　I。
  'I　know　who　will；'　said　the　hag；　and　hurried　down　the　street。
  The　man　and　woman；　with　much　noise；　demanded　their　donkey；　the
  innkeeper　made　no　answer；　and　proceeded　to　fill　up　several　glasses
  with　the　ANISADO。　　In　about　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　Gypsy　hag
  returned　with　a　young　man；　well　dressed；　and　with　a　genteel　air；
  but　with　something　wild　and　singular　in　his　eyes。　　He　seated
  himself　by　the　table；　smiled；　took　a　glass　of　liquor；　drank　part　of
  it；　smiled　again；　and　handed　it　to　the　countryman。　　The　latter
  seeing　himself　treated　in　this　friendly　manner　by　a　caballero；　was
  evidently　much　flattered；　took　off　his　hat　to　the　newcomer；　and
  drank；　as　did　the　woman　also。　　The　glass　was　filled；　and　refilled；
  till　they　became　yet　more　intoxicated。　　I　did　not　hear　the　young
  man　say　a　word：　　he　appeared　a　passive　automaton。　　The　Gypsies；
  however；　spoke　for　him；　and　were　profuse　of　compliments。　　It　was
  now　proposed　that　the　caballero　should　settle　the　dispute；　a　long
  and　noisy　conversation　ensued；　the　young　man　looking　vacantly　on：
  the　strange　people　had　no　money；　and　had　already　run　up　another
  bill　at　a　wine…house　to　which　they　had　retired。　　At　last　it　was
  proposed；　as　if　by　the　young　man；　that　the　Gypsy　should　purchase
  his　own　mule　for　two　dollars；　and　forgive　the　strangers　the
  reckoning　of　the　preceding　night。　　To　this　they　agreed；　being
  apparently　stultified　with　the　liquor；　and　the　money　being　paid　to
  them　in　the　presence　of　witnesses；　they　thanked　the　friendly
  mediator；　and　reeled　away。
  Before　they　left　the　town　that　night；　they　had　contrived　to　spend
  the　entire　two　dollars；　and　the　woman；　who　first　recovered　her
  senses；　was　bitterly　lamenting　that　they　had　permitted　themselves
  to　be　despoiled　so　cheaply　of　a　PRENDA　TAN　PRECIOSA；　as　was　the
  donkey。　　Upon　the　whole；　however；　I　did　not　much　pity　them。　　The
  woman　was　certainly　not　the　man's　wife。　　The　labourer　had　probably
  left　his　village　with　some　strolling　harlot；　bringing　with　him　the
  animal　which　had　previously　served　to　support　himself　and　family。
  I　believe　that　the　Gypsy　read；　at　the　first　glance；　their　history；
  and　arranged　matters　accordingly。　　The　donkey　was　soon　once　more　in
  the　stable；　and　that　night　there　was　much　rejoicing　in　the　Gypsy
  inn。
  Who　was　the　singular　mediator？　　He　was　neither　more　nor　less　than
  the　foster　child　of　the　Gypsy　hag；　the　unfortunate　being　whom　she
  had　privately　injured　in　his　infancy。　　After　having　thus　served
  them　as　an　instrument　in　their　villainy；　he　was　told　to　go　home。　。
  。　。
  THE　GYPSY　SOLDIER　OF　VALDEPENAS
  It　was　at　Madrid　one　fine　afternoon　in　the　beginning　of　March　1838；
  that；　as　I　was　sitting　behind　my　table　in　a　cabinete；　as　it　is
  called；　of　the　third　floor　of　No。　16；　in　the　Calle　de　Santiago；
  having　just　taken　my　meal；　my　hostess　entered　and　informed　me　that
  a　military　officer　wished　to　speak　to　me；　adding；　in　an　undertone；
  that　he　looked　a　STRANGE　GUEST。　　I　was　acquainted　with　no　military
  officer　in　the　Spanish　service；　but　as　at　that　time　I　expected
  daily　to　be　arrested　for　having　distributed　the　Bible；　I　thought
  that　very　possibly　this　officer　might　have　been　sent　to　perform
  that　piece　of　duty。　　I　instantly　ordered　him　to　be　admitted；
  whereupon　a　thin　active　figure；　somewhat　above　the　middle　height；
  dressed　in　a　blue　uniform；　with　a　long　sword　hanging　at　his　side；
  tripped　into　the　room。　　Depositing　his　regimental　hat　on　the
  ground；　he　drew　a　chair　to　the　table；　and　seating　himself；　placed
  his　elbows　on　the　board；　and　supporting　his　face　with　his　hands；
  confronted　me；　gazing　steadfastly　upon　me；　without　uttering　a　word。
  I　looked　no　less　wistfully　at　him；　and　was　of　the　same　opinion　as
  my　hostess；　as　to　the　strangeness　of　my　guest。　　He　was　about　fifty；
  with　thin　flaxen　hair　covering　the　sides　of　his　head；　which　at　the
  top　was　entirely　bald。　　His　eyes　were　small；　and；　like　ferrets'；
  red　and　fiery。　　His　complexion　like　a　brick；　a　dull　red；　checkered
  with　spots　of　purple。　　'May　I　inquire　your　name　and　business；　sir？'
  I　at　length　demanded。
  STRANGER。　…　'My　name　is　Chaleco　of　Valdepenas；　in　the　time　of　the
  French　I　served　as　bragante；　fighting　for　Ferdinand　VII。　　I　am　now
  a　captain　on　half…pay　in　the　service　of　Donna　Isabel；　as　for　my
  business　here；　it　is　to　speak　with　you。　　Do　you　know　this　book？'
  MYSELF。　…　'This　book　is　Saint　Luke's　Gospel　in　the　Gypsy　language；
  how　can　this　book　concern　you？'
  STRANGER。　…　'No　one　more。　　It　is　in　the　language　of　my　people。'
  MYSELF。　…　'You　do　not　pretend　to　say　that　you　are　a　Calo？'
  STRANGER。　…　'I　do！　　I　am　Zincalo；　by　the　mother's　side。　　My　father；
  it　is　true；　was　one　of　the　Busne；　but　I　glory　in　being　a　Calo；　and
  care　not　to　acknowledge　other　blood。'
  MYSELF。　…　'How　became　you　possessed　of　that　book？'
  STRANGER。　…　'I　was　this　morning　in　the　Prado；　where　I　met　two　women
  of　our　people；　and　amongst　other　things　they　told　me　that　they　had
  a　gabicote　in　our　language。　　I　did　not　believe　them　at　first；　but
  they　pulled　it　out；　and　I　found　their　words　true。　　They　then　spoke
  to　me　of　yourself；　and　told　me　where　you　live；　so　I　took　the　book
  from　them　and　am　come　to　see　you。'
  MYSELF。　…　'Are　you　able　to　understand　this　book？'
  STRANGER。　…　'Perfectly；　though　it　is　written　in　very　crabbed
  language：　　（48）　but　I　learnt　to　read　Calo　when　very　young。　　My
  mother　was　a　good　Calli；　and　early　taught　me　both　to　speak　and　read
  it。　　She　too　had　a　gabicote；　but　not　printed　like　this；　and　it
  treated　of　a　different　matter。'
  MYSELF。　…　'How　came　your　mother；　being　a　good　Calli；　to　marry　one
  of　a　different　blood？'
  STRANGER。　…　'It　was　no　fault　of　hers；　there　was　no　remedy。　　In　her
  infancy　she　lost　her　parents；　who　were　executed；　and　she　was
  abandoned　by　all；　till　my　father；　taking　compassion　on　her；　brought
  her　up　and　educated　her：　　at　last　he　made　her　his　wife；　though
  three　times　her　age。　　She；　however；　remembered　her　blood　and　hated
  my　father；　and　taught　me　to　hate　him　likewise；　and　avoid　him。　　When
  a　boy；　I　used　to　stroll　about　the　plains；　that　I　might　not　see　my
  father；　and　my　father　would　follow　me　and　beg　me　to　look　upon　him；
  and　would　ask　me　what　I　wanted；　and　I　would　reply；　Father；　the　only
  thing　I　want　is　to　see　you　dead。'
  MYSELF。　…　'That　was　strange　language　from　a　child　to　its　parent。'
  STRANGER。　…　'It　was　…　but　you　know　the　couplet；　（49）　which　says；　〃I
  do　not　wish　to　be　a　lord　…　I　am　by　birth　a　Gypsy　…　I　do　not　wish　to
  be　a　gentleman　…　I　am　content　with　being　a　Calo！〃'
  MYSELF。　…　'I　am　anxious　to　hear　more　of　your　history　…　pray
  proceed。'
  STRANGER。　…　'When　I　was　about　twelve　years　old　my　father　became
  distracted；　and　died。　　I　then　continued　with　my　mother　for　some
  years；　she　loved　me　much；　and　procured　a　teacher　to　instruct　me　in
  Latin。　　At　last　she　died；　and　then　there　was　a　pleyto　（law…suit）。
  I　took　to　the　sierra　and　became　a　highwayman；　but　the　wars　broke
  out。　　My　cousin　Jara；　of　Valdepenas；　raised　a　troop　of　brigantes。
  （50）　　I　enlisted　with　him　and　distinguished　myself　very　much；　there
  is　scarcely　a　man　or　woman　in　Spain　but　has　heard　of　Jara　and
  Chaleco。　　I　am　now　captain　in　the　service　of　Donna　Isabel　…　I　am
  covered　with　wounds　…　I　am　…　ugh！　ugh！　ugh